Diablo + Hellfire

I finished Diablo 1 for the first time through this GOG release just as of the year of this review's posting. I had it as a kid but wasn't really patient or smart enough to figure it out really. So now, years later I can finally give my thoughts on this, the legendary Diablo. Please note that this review will not cover the Hellfire expansion, as I didn't play it. I wanted the experience intended by Condor/Blizzard North back in the day. I will say the fact it is included is a very nice touch. This game holds up quite well in my opinion. Given the age of the game it still looks visually nice, with decent human characters, creepy and disturbing monster designs and horrifying area designs, especially later into the game as things get less 'Earth' and more 'Hell.' Sound effects are still punchy and satisfying, and I still say Diablo has the best potion sound ever made. The music helps with the mood just as much as the visuals, from the unsettling safety and looming dread of Tristram's theme to the distant drums and screams as you delve deeper into the 16 floors of the main dungeon. The game is really simple to control. Just point an click. Click an item to pick it up (assuming you have room in your inventory), click an enemy to attack it. Right click to cast a spell. It's really simple. The fun comes from the feedback of killing those enemies, and finding new and better loot to equip to kill the things faster and better. Side quests give the player a reason to keep an eye out while in the dungeon, and not every playthrough is the same since, like the dungeon layout, the quests you get are randomized at the start of the game. With only 16 floors to the dungeon, the game is actually relatively short, but for this game I feel that works to its strength. Many of the features that make Diablo 2 so legendary aren't here. I beat my warrior run in only a few sessions. For those curious about where ARPGs got their start, this is it, and I recommend it.

I expect most people who buy this who already know what they're getting, so this review is directed to those who don't. Because yes, the original Diablo was revolutionary back than, but how does it stack up today? The answer for me was ... not all that bad, but very hard to recommend. I found it to feel rather janky and surprisingly light in content. And that is including the DevilutionX community patch that adds a bunch of bug fixes and QoL improvements to the game. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad game. But each class only has one unique ability and the different stats primarily affect their ability to learn spells, which are the same for all of them and the key to survival. The game is divided in 6 sections with 4 layers each, which you can get through in a casual week, including 2-3 restarts for loot grinding. The game's first boss, the Butcher, is practically impossible to defeat on the first go unless you abuse his limited pathfinding or skip him for later. The expansion's Bone Demons are immune to virtually every viable damage spell, so sorcerers have to defeat them with a good ol' clubbing. Due to the tile pathing, most monsters walking straight at you will still zig-zag, making them frustratingly hard to hit at times. No inventory management or reading time while paused. With all that said, the ARPG foundation is definitely there and it is interesting so see many systems that I used to think were modern innovations (town portal, transparent overview map, unidentified items) already present in this ancient pillar of gaming history. But at the end of the day, it is still a relatively small game and I don't think another class playthrough will be all that different. Which is why Iin my opinion that 10€ is a pretty hefty price tag for what this game actually offers and the main reason why I'm rating this article with 2/5 stars - the mileage for people with no nostalgic connection to Diablo 1 is simply not there.

And the LEGEND of ARPGs! I have nothing to say about this GREAT game, I just want to point out this source port: https://github.com/diasurgical/devilutionX Do yourself a favor, when purchasing Diablo, use DevilutionX and you will have a complete experience just like those days! =D

Love this game, played the hell out of it back as a kid but where's the Mac version? I've got a clunker PC laptop laying around so I could buy this to play but I'd rather use my MacBook. Only reason why I'm docking a star. Holy bolt for Diablo and Chainlightning for everyone else. Damn I loved that combo. My friends....not so much. That's why there are resurrect scrolls. hahaha.

I had been hoping Blizzard would eventually release this so when I saw this was on GOG I was pleasantly surprised and bought it immediately. Diablo was groundbreaking for its time, there wasn't really anything else like it. The game is clunky and dated so it might be a bit of a shock if your only experience with this series started with Diablo 2. It might be hard for some people to go back and play this game today, but if you are like me and were anxiously awaiting the launch of this game way back in the day it's a great trip down memory lane. I can still remember the awesome manuals Blizzard packed in with their games (which is a pdf download here with your purchase of course). Bottom line: If you grew up playing this game you'll get more out of this. People who have little patience with dated games would be better off with Diablo 2 or other modern action RPGs. Probably the main surprise for people will be how slow and methodical Diablo 1 is compared to Diablo 2.